In 1989, he competed for a prize to visit Burgundy for a week’s visit with Paul Bouchard, the Burgundian domaine/negotiant. He offers three handcrafted wines – sauvignon blanc, chardonnay, and a syrah based blend called ‘Serenity.’ Hermanus is a coastal town about in the most southern part of S. African winemaking world. link]. link].

1989 Yarra Yering Dry Red Number 1 Cabernet Sauvignon, Yarra Valley. 2006 Clarendon Hills Astralis Vineyard Shiraz (Syrah), McLaren Vale. Pannell Shiraz/Grenache, McLaren Vale. 1996 Clarendon Hills Astralis Vineyard Shiraz (Syrah), McLaren Vale. 1996 d’Arenberg The Ironstone Pressings Grenache/Shiraz, McLaren Vale.

have always loved the wines of the Loire Valley, and I fell in love with the region during my first visit back in 1989. But one of the biggest plagues in the south these days is the huge expansion of syrah plantings in the vineyards here- not just in Châteauneuf du Pape, but also throughout the villages of the Côtes du Rhône.

got to try the Lopez de Heredia Gravonia Rioja Blanco Crianza 1998, Tondonia Rioja Blanco Reserva 1989 & Tondonia Rioja Blanco Gran Reserva 1981. Interestingly enough, they make a 100% grenache wine called the (2005) St. Syrahs & 2 Cab's were tried at the tasting. Zinfandels and 1 Syrah. don't know. great wine.